Date: 06.06.2019

Specialists of the Russian State Art Library dedicated 28 March 2019 to the profession of the theatre critic.

RSAL’s guests were students of theatre studies, theatre and literary critics, historians, as well as readers interested in the history and theory of the dramatic arts. The library staff demonstrated RSAL’s broad information and search capabilities to theatre historians and critics.

Theatre Critic Day began with an open viewing of the book Theatre Critics of the 21st Century. Publications on the History and Theory of the Theatre and great interest was aroused by the informative workshop “The Theatre in RSAL’s Resources,” which was conducted by RSAL’s specialists.

The lecture “Children’s Theatre Today: New Texts, New Forms” by theatre critic Marina Shimadina introduced the audience to modern drama and new forms of children’s theatre.

The lecture “Mysteries of Culture: Theatre from the Silver Age to the Present Day” by Polina Bogdanova, DSc Cultural Studies, was devoted to applying the theory of cultural-historical cycles to the theatre arts.

The final event of Theatre Critic Day was the “Theatre and History” Round Table organised by RSAL together with the Nestor-Historia publishing house. In their speeches, round table participants raised such issues as the importance of historical details, historical sources of theatrical productions, and truth and myth in documentary dramas. Participants also discussed the state of modern drama, the change in the public’s attitude toward historical events, and the importance of historical productions on the stage today.